


Toy Doctor

by TheReviewess



Series: Unfinished Nyssara Stories [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, Nyssa is Damian's Guardian, Nyssa is a Genius, Sara Saves the Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-18
Updated: 2018-04-25
Packaged: 2019-01-18 23:23:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12398379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheReviewess/pseuds/TheReviewess
Summary: Nyssa never expected to be the sole caretaker of her nephew. At 19 years old, she was doing her best to finish her second master’s degree, and now, with the sudden death of her sister and recent incarceration of her Father, she was now a mother.That was a horrifying thought.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is part of an old idea I had a long ass time ago. I wrote it just to get it out of my head and down onto paper (or google drive whatever) and never finished it. The first "chapter" if you will is one of those things that I decided could stand on its own. Who knows. Maybe I'll make a series of all my unfinished Nyssara things that I've written because it's a lot. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this!

Nyssa never expected to be the sole caretaker of her nephew. At 19 years old, she was doing her best to finish her second master’s degree, and now, with the sudden death of her sister and recent incarceration of her Father, she was now a mother. That was a horrifying thought.

“Mama, do I get to come with you today?” Her sweet little Damian asked her. His black hair was nicely combed and he wore an adorable black button up that was tucked into a pair of jeans with a pair of black chucks. He looked like the perfect little gentleman.

It was the end of January and Nyssa had started back at school a few weeks ago. Normally she would have a babysitter, but she couldn't use the girl she had been using the last few weeks. Something about getting sick. So, Nyssa was forced to take him to class today.

“Yes, Damian. You get to come to school with Mama,” Nyssa said, picking up the four year old. 

Since Damian could speak, Nyssa had been dubbed Mama, and her sister, Gods rest her soul, was Umi. It was confusing to explain to others, since Nyssa was technically his aunt, but no one bothered to correct him. Nyssa had to admit that she enjoyed the name in all reality.

“Do I get a backpack?” He asked her, gesturing to the black bag Nyssa had on her back. It was stuffed full of school books and her laptop for classes.

“Perhaps we can stop at the store and get you your very own bag.” Nyssa told him, carrying him and a small drawstring bag of Damian’s toys, books and other distractions out the door. “After all, every little boy needs one when he goes to school.”

Nyssa had time before she had to be on campus. Her first class was one of her Business lectures. The professor was strict but Nyssa was hopeful he wouldn't kick her out of class for bringing Damian. She typed a quick message explaining her situation and sent a silent prayer to whoever was watching, begging to let her professor understand.

“No! I want to walk!” Damian complained as she carried him out of their apartment.

Nyssa sighed but put the boy down and let him walk beside her. “Alright, but you must hold my hand at all times, is that understood?”

“Yes, Mama!” Damian agreed with a toothy grin.

Somehow they made it to the store in a timely manner where Damian picked out a plain red backpack. Nyssa also broke down and purchased a little notebook, coloring book, and some crayons. After all, no little boy could go to school without paper and something to write with.

Once they finished their shopping, the two sat out on the curb to put everything into his new backpack. Nyssa even managed to tuck his toys and books into the bag. It meant that she had one less thing to carry.

“Now we can go to school!” Damian declared while proudly donning his new backpack.

“Now we are all ready to go,” Nyssa agreed. She grabbed his hand and lead him to the bus stop where they would head onto campus.

Starling University was not her first choice for university. It was never even on her list for colleges at all. But, after the incident, Nyssa found it best to leave Harvard and transfer somewhere unexpected. Besides, she had her MA in Linguistics from Harvard, she couldn't have two Masters from there.

In reality, Nyssa was thankful for SU for accepting her transfer. Less people recognized her, especially in the College of Music (where she spent almost all her free time). They seemed far more focused on practicing than the news, so her face was not as well known.

Getting to campus was easy, the difficult part was ensuring that Damian go with her to the Business Building. (“No, Damian, we cannot go feed the ducks, we have to go to school.”) Somehow Nyssa managed to convince him that going to learn about running a business and becoming a CEO was far more interesting than feeding ducks. At times, Nyssa would think that taking down an international crime lord was far easier than controlling the brilliant four year old.

“Miss Raatko, so nice if you to join us,” her professor said as she strolled through the door with Damian by her side.

Nyssa looked up at the clock and noticed that she was five minutes late, much to her displeasure. Mentally, she cursed the ducks.

“My apologies,” Nyssa replied, trying to look somewhat apologetic. “I misjudged the time,” she told him. It was probably a better excuse than, ‘I had to spend ten minutes calming down a four year old who wanted to feed ducks.’

“Not the only time you've misjudged something.” The professor remarked in a snide tone, his eyes on Damian.

Under normal circumstances, the man would have been murdered on the spot for making such a remark. But that, in reality, was not socially acceptable. At least in this society. So, Nyssa did what she had to, at least to blend in. She ignored him and pretended to be a subservient female. Stupid ducks.

Sighing, she sat down at the closest desk and put Damian next to her. She quietly pulled out his coloring book and crayons. Thankfully the boy didn't need any further instruction. For a four year old, he was quite perceptive.

The class went smoothly for the most part, a few snide comments here and there but not much else. Once class was over, everyone, including Nyssa, bolted from the classroom.

“Ducks?” Damian asked, looking up at Nyssa.

“No, Damian. Mama has school,” Nyssa explained while walking toward the Music Building. Most of the College of Music’s students recognized her face from seeing her practice. On top of trying to learn her MBA, she took one Ethnomusicology course as a “fun” class. The class was an ensemble, but it counted as credit for her, so that was all that mattered. Her undergrad had been in Business but she also had a degree in Piano Performance. Piano was her passion. Sadly, it was not a practical career choice, especially with a four year old to support and, now, a multi billion dollar company to inherit.

“But the duckies!” Damian complained.

“Perhaps after school, if you are a good boy,” Nyssa decided as they walked toward the practice rooms in the Music Building.

Piano was Nyssa’s primary instrument. It was something she started learning as little girl. She had started teaching Damian, but the boy had very little interest in it. It didn't stop Nyssa from making him learn to play. If he was living with her, he would learn to play. While not the best career choice, it was a useful skill to have later. 

Once Nyssa found a suitable room, she let Damian play around with his toys while she practiced. Practicing always made her feel better. 

After what seemed like just a few minutes (but was really an hour or two), Damian shook her, claiming that he was hungry. That was when Nyssa realized that she was also hungry and she could stand to eat. So they went to the Student Union to find something to eat.

While walking through the Union, Damian had an action figure of Ironman that he was holding and making “fly” as they walked through the Union. As they walked, someone didn't see the boy and almost tripped over him, knocking Ironman out of his hands.

“Ironman!” He cried out as the action figure soared away from him. Damian pulled his hand from Nyssa’s grasp and chased after the action figure.

“Damian!” Nyssa yelled out, taking off after the boy. Despite the having longer legs than Damian, she could not catch him easily because he could weave through people’s legs.

Meanwhile, poor Ironman was being kicked all over the floor by unaware college students. Damian only stopped when he heard a sickening crunch of someone stepping on his beloved Ironman action figure.

“Ironman!” Damian cried, finally holding his action figure. The arm had snapped off and the boy was in tears.

Nyssa raced up beside him and picked up the arm to the plastic action figure. She knelt to the ground and pulled Damian into a tight hug. Her face fell as she felt the poor boy cry into her chest. Ironman was one of a few things that he had left from his now dead mother.

“Dude, can you like, make him be quiet or something?” A young college goer asked Nyssa.

“What the fuck, dude?” A girl yelled at him, “it's your fault he’s crying, dumb fuck! You broke his Ironman!”

Nyssa looked up from Damian to see a very enraged girl with golden hair and a fierce look on her face, screaming at what seemed to be a frat bro (judging by the Greek letters on his shirt) with such intensity that even Nyssa was amazed.

The woman let forth a stream of swear words than made the young man blush and Nyssa shocked. Soon enough a small crowd has formed and cellphones are recording the whole thing. Girls are cheering the blonde goddess on as she defended Damian and Nyssa and the boys are insulting the guy for picking on a kid. After a rather long tongue lashing from the girl, the boy turned and raced out of there as fast as he could

When Nyssa thought she could not be anymore amazed, the blonde goddess walked over to them and crouched down to Damian’s level.

“Hey little man, mind if I take a look at Ironman for a sec,” she asked him with a kind and gentle sort of look and a soft voice.

Damian looked at her with tears in his eyes, “Are you gonna break him?”

She didn't get mad, or shocked, she just smiled, “Nope. I'm a bit of a toy doctor, you see. I just wanted to check if he really had a broken arm or a dislocated one.”

Damian considered this for a moment before slowly surrendering the action figure. Nyssa handed over the arm of the toy without saying anything. The mystery woman took them both and grinned.

“Just as I thought!” She proclaimed happily. With a little bit of fiddling, the arm snapped back into place. She moved it back and forth a few times, just to test if everything worked just right. “See! Everything’s fine. He just got his arm dislocated, not broken! Now he’s good as new and Pepper won't get mad at him for getting hurt, right?”

“But won't JARVIS tell her?” Damian asked, now wiping his tears away.

“Probably,” She conceded, “but you never know.” With that she handed the toy back to an absolutely amazed Damian. “Be careful with him, we don't want him to get hurt and really get in trouble, do we?”

Damian shook his head quickly. He then turned back to Nyssa and beamed, “Mama, the Toy Doctor made Ironman better!”

“That she did,” Nyssa replied, picking up the small boy and standing up. “We must thank her for saving Ironman.”

“Oh you don't have to do that,” The blonde said quickly as she stood up. “I just did it because that guy was a douche canoe who needed to be put in his place. I know he saw that thing.”

“Regardless, let me thank you.” Nyssa insisted. She looked down at her watch and say she had an hour before her next class. “Would you care to join us for lunch? If you have the time, of course.”

“I couldn't,” she responded, “the food here is crazy expensive. College is expensive enough, I can't imagine raising a kid and-”

“It is no problem,” Nyssa insisted, “I have plenty saved. I must thank you. It was no small favor that you did me.”

“I dunno…”

“Please, anything you would like. Let me buy you lunch as my thanks.” Nyssa told her.

“Well if you insist. I have been craving some Panda Express.”

“Sounds lovely,” Nyssa replied with a smile. “My name is Nyssa.”

“I’m Sara.”

“I'm Damian!”

And that was how Nyssa Raatko befriended one Sara Lance.


	2. Spring Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sara shows Nyssa and Damian around Starling City over Spring Break. They all get a little more than they bargained for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently people liked this, so here is the second chapter of this little thing. Any mistakes made are mine. I posted this while doing homework so I'm distracted.

After two months, Sara and Nyssa would meet for lunch almost every day, with Damian by her side. At first, it was just an accident meeting her. Damian had enjoyed lunch with “Doctor Sara” the day before, that he begged for her to eat lunch with them a second time. A second time turned into a third and soon enough they had a standing lunch date.

Sometimes they would meet in the Union, and other times they would feed the ducks to appease Damian. Most of the time Nyssa would slyly buy Sara’s lunch for her before the blind could realize it. Though, there had been a few times where Sara turned the tables and bought her and Damian food. Sometimes she would even show up with food all ready for them. So, then Nyssa took it upon herself to make lunches for the three of them. It was a never ending battle of who would pay for lunch.

Since Nyssa had come to Starling at an awkward time, she could not enroll him at any preschool. Sometimes Nyssa could find a babysitter, but his presence seemed to annoy her snarky professor, so she just kept bringing the boy with her, just to be petty. Normally Nyssa felt that she was above such actions, but damn it felt great. Also it was a good way for him to socialize with others. Most of Nyssa’s peers seemed to find him adorable, and incredibly intelligent. (In interesting moment happened when Damian loudly asked what a word from the PowerPoint meant and everyone was shocked he could read. “He does not just sit here and flip through picture books, if that is what you are asking me.”)

After a few months, Nyssa learned that Sara was a premed student, who wanted to actually be a doctor. She had an older sister who wanted to get into Harvard Law at the end of the school year.

“My MA is from Harvard,” Nyssa commented when Sara told her. “I have a few friends at Harvard Law right now.” She was eating leftovers from dinner the night before. She was trying, and failing, to get Damian to eat something other than Sara’s French fries.

“You have a Master’s already? When did you get it!?” Sara asked, her mouth full of fries.

“Last summer,” Nyssa said to her. “I would have stopped there, but my father demanded I follow my sister and get my MBA. Apparently an MA in Linguistics was not good enough to earn me a position in the company.”

“How long have you been working on that?” She asked.

“Since that summer- No more fries, Damian, you have your own meal. I suggest you eat it or you will have nothing until dinner,” Nyssa chastised the four year old.

Damian grumbled and started viciously stabbing his fork at his broccoli. He then Sara a pleading look, but the blonde did nothing. After all, Mom-Nyssa was scary.

“No luck finding a sitter?” Sara asked her, gesturing to the four year old.

“Oh I can most days, but I do enjoy the look my professor gives me when I bring him along.” Nyssa grinned, “it is rather petty, but it does bring me joy.” That, and she had business that she typically takes care of at night. So the sitter comes around then so Nyssa can have some peace to work.

Sara laughed at her, “you are hilarious.”

“I do try,” Nyssa replied with a shrug.

Sara quickly changed the topic of conversation, “what are you two doing for spring break?”

Nyssa shrugged, the same thing she did every year. Practice, probably. “Nothing spectacular, I assure you. Perhaps explore the city more.”

“I'm not doing anything either, except work, why don't you and D drop in one day and I’ll show you around the city. I'll show you all the good stuff, none of those tourist traps.” Sara explained with a smile. “Laurel will be home from school around that time too, so you can tell her all about Harvard.”

“That sounds lovely,” Nyssa found herself saying.

* * *

When Spring Break came around, Nyssa found herself eagerly awaiting Sara’s tour of Starling City. So when Sara texted her the first morning of break asking to be “saved from her horrible morning shift,” Nyssa found herself getting dressed at lightning speed and getting Damian to go relatively quick.

Damian refused to leave the house without his backpack, that he loved to death. He carried the bag all over the house and everywhere he could, saying that he went to school just like his Mama. People would give Nyssa incredibly dirty looks for that, but Damian didn't notice. He seemed quite proud that he got to go to school like his Mama.

The two walked to the toy store and Sara greeted them as soon as they walked in. She swept Damian up into her arms and laughed when he did.

“Hey little man! How’s my favorite boy doing?” Sara asked with a smile.

“Aw, I thought we were your favorite boys, Sara!” Two younger guys asked. They stood off to the side, over by the video games.

“No way,” Sara declared, “Damian here is more of a man than you two, and he’s four.”

“Ouch, you wound us, Lance.” One with dark brown hair said.

“I'm pretty sure I'm man enough for Laurel,” the dirty blonde fellow said.

Nyssa recognized both of them from somewhere, but she couldn't place it.

“Ugh, gross,” Sara mumbled, still keeping a hold of Damian. “Ignore those weirdos, D. I gotta show you this.”

“Wait, Sara!” Nyssa called, taking off after the two of them. When she caught up, she saw Sara showing Damian a child's Ironman mask that recently came to the store.

“Mama! I'm Ironman!” Damian declared from under the mask.

“Call me crazy,” Sara said with a smile, “but Tony Stark got nothing on this kid. D is definitely more handsome.”

“And much better behaved,” Nyssa agreed with a smile. It had been awhile since Nyssa had seen the little boy so happy. After her father murdered her sister in front of her and Damian, they had both been a little traumatized.

“He pulls off the Ironman look better too,” Sara told her with a grin. “We could totally make him a good Ironman for Halloween.”

“We?” Nyssa asked with a brow raised.

“Yes, we! I know all the good trick or treating spots. I gotta come, obviously.”

That made Nyssa laugh.

“Hey, Ollie, Tommy, what do you think?” Sara asked, still holding Damian.

Nyssa turned around to see the two other boys holding some video games. They were obviously friends with Sara and it seemed they knew each other for some time. Now if only Nyssa could figure out how she knew them.

“Whoa! When did Ironman get here?” The one said. It made Damian laugh and made Nyssa like him a little more.

His blonde friend didn't seem as amused. “Seriously, Tommy?”

“Oh pull the stick out of your butt, Queen.” The young man, Tommy, joked to his friend.

Then it hit Nyssa. Now she recognized them. It was Oliver Queen and Thomas Merlyn. Nyssa had met them at fancy parties for her father when she was a child, hoping she would take a liking to one and potentially marry. However, seven year old Nyssa thought boys were disgusting and she had no interest in them. 19 year old Nyssa still thought boys were gross, but Damian was an exception.

“You two are weird,” Sara declared. “Anyway, Ironman and I are out of here so later. You coming to dinner tonight, Ollie?”

Oliver Queen shrugged, “maybe, unless your dad decides to murder me.”

“Murder is bad and you can go to jail for it,” Damian said quickly. “Only bad people murder.” He said it in an eerie quiet sort of tone. The sort of voice that would have suggested that he had seen something he shouldn't have.

“That's right,” Sara told him. “So no one is murdering anyone. Got it?”

Everyone nodded and Sara left the aisle with Damian in her arms.

All Nyssa could think about was how relieved she was that Sara had somehow averted a second major crisis. This woman was constantly saving her and without realizing it.

Without glancing at Queen or Merlyn, Nyssa followed Sara. She spotted the blonde paying for the mask for Damian and then clocking out.

“C’mon, Nys, I promises to show you the city!” And so they left in Sara’s car. Nyssa was shocked that Sara had managed to get a car seat for Damian. She knew they were quite expensive and Sara was a broke college student.

Nyssa watched Sara buckle Damian into the car seat before jumping in the car herself.

“Where did you-”

“Dad’s a cop. I asked to borrow one from the station since you don't drive.” Sara respond with a smile. “We’re gonna be driving all over town so I needed it.”

Sara had planned out the whole day for them. First, Sara took them to the Zoo where she learned that both Damian and Nyssa loved big cats. Damian liked the lions and Nyssa favored the Tigers. So when their visit was over, Sara bought them each a stuffed cat. Damian had a massive stuffed lion and Nyssa got a small stuffed tiger. The woman tried to tell tell Sara no, but the blonde insisted.

After the Zoo, they went to take a tour of the Rockets Stadium. They were Sara’s favorite sport’s team and Damian seemed enthralled at the idea of basketball. Some of the players were there practicing and they noticed Damian. He was riding on Sara’s shoulders with his Ironman mask firmly on his face. Nyssa and Sara had great difficulty making him take it off for pictures at the zoo, but he did after some convincing.

“Whoa! Look! It’s Ironman!” One of the players shouted, pointing to Damian.

“No way!” Another player called, playing along with the first. Soon the whole team was playing on, and in awe of Ironman.

This somehow turned into an impromptu game of basketball with Sara, Nyssa, and Damian running around like fools with a basketball. Well, Sara had some idea, Nyssa had no clue. But, she was a quick learner so she soon figured out the game. Turns out Nyssa knows how to shoot. She was an agile woman, Sara had no doubt she could make a skilled basketball player if she wanted to play.

“Go D! Go!” Sara hollered when Damian had gotten the ball.

“I'm Ironman!” He hollered back, holding the massive ball in his little hands.

“Go Ironman! Go!” Sara amended, “Slam dunk that ball!”

Damian did his best to dribble the ball all the way to the hoop where one of the massive players picked him up to slam dunk the ball. It was a success and Sara secretly documented the whole thing on her phone.

Afterwards Sara bought them Rockets hats and a Rocket's T Shirt for Damian, who insisted on wearing it over his button up that Nyssa put him in that morning.

“How did you know they would be practicing?” Nyssa asked as they walked out of the Arena.

“I work here on game nights in the gift shop, so I ended up learning their practice schedule.” Sara explained. “My dad and I are big fans. He used to be one of the cops doing security here when I was in high school so we would come and go together.”

“You work two jobs?” Nyssa asked her, impressed.

“This gig is seasonal. I come if I need a few more bucks. The boss and I are cool though so I cover for them a lot too.” Sara explained. “Been doing this since I was 14 so I know the ropes.”

“I see.”

Nyssa thought that Sara could do no more for them until she brought them to a small restaurant where the ‘best burgers in town’ could be found. Nyssa didn't normally indulge in greasy foods, but they were actually good. Damian seemed thrilled to be eating junk food for a late lunch.

“Told you they were the best,” Sara joked as they walked to the car.

“That you did,” she said. Nyssa was carrying the small boy. He had eaten himself into a ‘food coma’ as Sara called it.

“Trust the local she- hey!” Sara sprinted to her car where a man with a suit jacket and a button up stood. A patrol car was pulled up next to the car and Nyssa instinctively pulled Damian closer. Mentally she prepared an escape for her and the boy, knowing she had a good shot of getting away.

“Hey kiddo,” the man said, pulling Sara into a hug. “Your mom said you were out on the town with some friends.”

Sara grinned and looked back at Nyssa, “oh yeah. Dad, this is Nyssa. Nys, this is my dad.”

“A pleasure to meet you,” Nyssa told him in a clipped tone.

The man, Sara’s father, narrowed his eyes at her. No doubt he had some idea who Nyssa was. After all, she didn't have a very common name, and her face, along with Damian’s, had been blasted over every major news station almost three months ago.

“Likewise,” the detective replied. “Well I just came to stop by and say hi. Your mom wants to know if your new friends are coming to dinner.”

“Oh I do not wish to impose,” Nyssa said quickly, trying to find a way out. She didn't like the way that the detective looked at her or Damian, and she didn't want to harm him.

“It's no problem!” Sara said quickly, “but yeah I was planning on it. I thought I told her…”

“You know how your mom is during Spring Break,” Sara’s father said to her. “I better be off. See you tonight.”

He jumped into the patrol car with his partner, who waved at Sara, and they pulled away.

“Well that was strange,” Sara said, “he’s not normally like that.”

“I believe I can hazard a guess as to why,” Nyssa mumbled, buckling a sleeping Damian into the car seat.

“Why?” Sara asked as she jumped in the car.

“Perhaps another time,” Nyssa mumbled, “when little ears are not present.”

Sara understood that and left the conversation alone. Half an hour later, the two were at the park where Sara carried a still sleeping Damian (sans Ironman mask) around, showing Nyssa all her favorite places as a kid. When Damian awoke, he asked to go play on the playground. Nyssa agreed, and she and Sara settled down in the grass to keep an eye on him.

“My father is Henri Ducard,” Nyssa said after an awkward silence. “Most people do not realize I am the Nyssa Ducard.” Nyssa took a breath and explained further. “I was homeschooled as a child, as was my sister. For years. We were not permitted to leave our home until my father had us take tests so we could attend university. Until that day, we trained.”

“Trained for what?” Sara asked, her eyes focused on Damian about to go down the slide.

“How to take over the family business, and everything it entailed.” Nyssa spat out. “It was deplorable, but as a child, I did not know it was wrong. I did not know any better until I attended Cambridge.”

“Talk about sheltered,” Sara mumbled.

“Quite.” Nyssa mumbled back.

They say in silence for some time before Nyssa spoke again. “My father slaughtered my sister in front of myself and Damian. He was three. We still have nightmares of it.”

Sara slid an arm around Nyssa’s shoulders. “You and your sister, you were the ones who brought him in, right?”

Nyssa nodded. “After she learned she was with child, we decided that our children would not grow up as we had. They would have a good childhood. Not one where they had to fear for their life if they were not good enough. We did not wish for Damian to have to worry about being whipped because his stance was wrong, or he had a sloppy landing on an aerial.”

“He would whip you?” Sara had heard all the crimes that Henri Ducard had pressed against him on the TV. Her father wouldn't shut up about the man either. Sara knew she shouldn't be surprised, and yet she was.

“If he was feeling benevolent.” Nyssa mumbled.

Sara decided that she didn't want to hear anymore about that. She pulled Nyssa into a tight hug and she kissed the top of her head. “Well he’s locked the fuck up and he won't get you. Either of you.”

“I will never be at ease until I am the one to cleave the head from his shoulders,” Nyssa replied.

“Well I don't think that will happen. But the guy is on Death Row, so he’ll get what's coming to him.” Sara assured her. “Does that make you feel better?”

“Slightly.” Even Nyssa knew how hard it was to break in and out of one, but if she knew her Father, he was likely planning his escape right now. The man still had plenty of allies, but also plenty of enemies.

Sara and Nyssa stayed locked in their awkward embrace for some time. Nyssa’s head rested against Sara’s shoulder while she regained her composure. Once recovered, Nyssa just sat there, content and enjoying the small amount of affection.

After some time, Sara’s stomach decided to growl, loudly, ruining their moment. Both teens couldn't help but laugh at the situation. Nyssa slowly pulled away from their embrace, trying not to let her disappointment show.

“I guess we should get to my place and eat dinner,” Sara said, also trying not to be disappointed.

“I suppose so,” Nyssa agreed before she let slip a large yawn. “Pardon me!”

Sara laughed, “looks like someone missed their afternoon nap,” she joked out.

“Yes I suppose I have,” not that Nyssa took naps. Often. Sometimes Damian would not fall asleep, so she would cuddle with him until he fell asleep… And sometimes she would too.

“Oh shoot! Does D have a nap time or anything? Because I probably screwed that up so hard!” Sara asked her, panicking slightly.

“Sara, it is fine,” Nyssa told her. She looked down at her phone to check the time. They had been at the park for a little over an hour and Damian seemed to have exhausted some of his energy playing around on the playground. “I am sure we can put him down before dinner.”

“You sure?”

“All will be fine,” Nyssa assured her. She stood up and stretched her muscles. “Now, are you prepared?”

“Prepared for what?” Sara asked her, now standing up and brushing the grass from her clothes.

“Catching Damian,” Nyssa replied with a grin. “It not a task for the faint of heart.”

“Oh it's on, Hot Mama! It's on like Donkey Kong.” Sara declared before rushing off to get Damian.

As Nyssa predicted, Damian demanded that the two women catch him because wouldn't come quietly. It took ten minutes of Nyssa and Sara chasing him before Nyssa had enough.

Sara had grabbed the back of his Rockets shirt before he could go down a slide, but the little shit slipped out of it just as she grabbed it (Nyssa would later admit that she was impressed at his quick thinking). Nyssa sat and waited on top of the monkey bars. As Damian ran around, the corner, too busy looking at Sara, Nyssa flipped down and swept him up in her arms.

_ “You must be more mindful of your surroundings,”  _ Nyssa told him in Arabic.

The boy pouted at her but accepted his defeat. Nyssa hoped the extra little chase would make it easier to put him down for a nap. She could use a break.

“That kid is fast!” Sara huffed out when she came up to them. “I think I'm gonna need a nap after that.”

“We all might,” Nyssa agreed. She put Damian down and let him walk to the car with him.

“I don't wanna,” Damian mumbled.

“Too bad, munchkin. This a benevolent dictatorship. What your mom says, goes.” Sara told him. “But if you take a nap, we can have extra dessert after dinner.”

“No,” Damian said, “no naps.”

“Naps are great!” Sara insisted.

“Sleep is bad,” Damian grumbled out.

Sara opened her mouth to say something but then she stopped. She paused for a second and then picked him up. “Well how about I come nap with you? We don't have to sleep, but we can hang out in bed together.” She pulled him closer and whispered loudly, “don't tell Mama, but I think she’s the one who needs a nap.”

The two giggled and Nyssa did her best not to grin. “What are you two discussing behind my back?”

“Nothing Mama!” Damian yelled out.

As they neared the car, a group of young men snickered at the two.

“Hey, look at the dykes!” One called with a laugh. They all were smoking and drinking cans of shitty beer.

Sara growled and roughly shoved Damian back into Nyssa’s arms. It had been so unexpected that Nyssa nearly dropped the boy. Thankfully, she had quick reflexes.

“What did you say, dick for brains?” Sara hollered at the boys.

“Oh we got an angry one!” One snickered.

“Why don't you come over here, baby! I'll show you a good time!” The one who shouted at the first called to Sara. He then grabbed at his ‘package’ through his pants as if to suggest he was well endowed.

“Please, that cigarette could show me a better time than you. It's probably bigger than you are too.” Sara taunted back. She turned her head slightly, “get Damian loaded up and call my dad if anything starts going down.”

“The only thing going down is them,” Damian told Sara. Nyssa had sat him on the trunk so she could open the car door and buckle Damian into his car seat. “Mama can beat their butts!” The boy declared confidently.

“We should just leave,” Nyssa said, now picking the boy up. “Fighting will do us no good.” Especially since Nyssa really just needed to lay low.

“No way,” Sara grumbled, “no girl should have to get taunted by men for stupid things.”

“Stupid is a bad word,” Damian piped up.

“So is Dyke,” Sara replied, “so I'm allowed to call them stupid.”

“What about a dumb fuck?” Damian asked.

Both Nyssa and Sara looked at the boy in shock. Neither knew how he learned swear words. Especially since Nyssa never swore and Sara did her best to censor herself.

“Where did you-”

“Watch out!” Nyssa pulled Sara into her and Damian and turned. Moments later she was hit by multiple beers, drenching her clothes. Sara and Damian got some beer on their clothes, but not as much as Nyssa.

When the small group turned back to the boys, they were all laughing and high-fiving. Then they started throwing rocks at the two.

A small growl left Nyssa’s throat. “Get in the car, Damian, and call 911. Tell them there are four very injured men who may need a ride to a hospital.”

“Oh hell yes,” Sara replied, pushing her sleeves up. “Also tell them to send Detective Lance too.”

“Okay!” Damian said happily before jumping in the car.

“Smart kid,” Sara commented.

“Very.” Nyssa replied, “I hope you know how to hit.”

“I took a few years of self defense. I got this.” Sara told her with a grin.

Turns out those few years of self defense were nothing compared to Nyssa’s moves. While Sara had decked a guy in the face, breaking his nose, Nssa was hitting these guys to completely destroy them. She was a freaking ninja! In two minutes the duo had incapacitated the men in some way or another. Then Nyssa turned to Sara and punched her in the chest, hard.

“What the fuck was that for?!” She hollered.

“To make it look like self defense.” Nyssa explained as if it is obvious.

“So does that mean I get to hit you?” She asked, rubbing her chest.

“I was hit with beer and rocks, that should be suitable. Though if it makes you need better, feel free.” Nyssa replied with a shrug.

Sara slugged her in the arm as hard as she could, though it didn't seem to do much. “Hey wait! I was hit by rocks too!” She saw Nyssa grin slightly. “Well geez, Nyssa, if you wanted to hit on me, all you had to do was ask.”

That made Nyssa flush and look away.

“You're cute when you blush.” Sara added, unable to wipe the grin off her face. “And you're pretty cute already.”

“I am not cute,” Nyssa mumbled, heading back to the car.

“You're pretty stinkin’ cute, hun.” Sara told her, following the woman back to her car. “Oh for fuck sake!” She hollered when she saw her car. It had dents, scratches, and a definite hole through a few windows.

“Damian!” Nyssa called out, frantically.

“Yes?” He called back, sticking his head out of the broken window.

“Head back in the car!” Sara yelled at him, jogging over with Nyssa.

He put his head back and waited for Nyssa and Sara to open the door. When they did, Nyssa pulled him from the car and moved away from the glass to make sure he hadn't been injured.

“I'm ok!” Damian told her as Nyssa unbuttoned his shirt to assess any damage. “See! No lacerations! I just stink. Beer is gross.”

“That's still weird,” Sara mumbled, rubbing her now bruising chest. “How does he know such big words?”

“I read,” Damian replied simply.

Nyssa snorted at the boy’s reply. “I am relieved you are safe.”

As she said that, Nyssa and Sara heard the sirens from the cops and ambulances. They looked up to see a small group pulling into the park. Nyssa pulled Damian to her chest and backed toward Sara. Sara placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and then held out her other hand.

“Here,” she had picked up Damian’s Rockets Tshirt from where she left it in the car. “Probably easier than a button up.”

Nyssa nodded and took the shirt. Without hesitating, Damian put the shirt on. Then her tried to scramble away.

“Where are you-”

“Ironman.” Damian told Nyssa, still scrambling to get his mask.

She rolled her eyes but went to retrieve the mask from the car. When she came back, Damian snatched it and put it on as quick as he could. By that time the cops and EMTs arrived.

“Sara, baby, are you alright?” The detective from earlier asked as he raced over. He pulled her into a tight hug, only releasing her when he heard her hiss in pain. “What happened?”

“They started it!” Sara said quickly, gesturing to the knocked out boys.

“Sara,” Detective Lance groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“No! Really! They threw beer cans and rocks at us!” Sara insisted. “Look what they did to my car! And Nyssa smells like a keg! We only did that so they would stop because we had Damian and we didn't want him to get hurt! It was self defense! You gotta believe me, Daddy!”

The detective looked at the two girls and the little boy, who thankfully, seemed unharmed. Though Nyssa did smell like a college frat party, and looked a bit like a drowned rat. The two girls had minor scratches on their arms, probably from flying rocks. But overall, they seemed fine.

“You two know that you have to come down to the station, right?” He asked them. “We gotta get pictures to document this.”

Neither Sara nor Nyssa seemed very inclined to head down to the station, even Damian was skeptical. (“You can ride in a police car, kid.” “The last time that happened it was scary.”) Eventually Detective Lance managed to convince them with promises of ice cream on the way, and Sara’s mother stopping by with fresh clothes. (“What about Damian’s clothes?” “I put extra in his backpack this morning.” “Oh, good thinking.”)

So, thirty minutes later, the two women and ‘Ironman’ we're sitting in the station, waiting to get their pictures taken. Damian had demolished his ice cream cone and ate most of Nyssa’s ice cream too. Sara and Nyssa were impressed at how he managed that.

When they got to the station, the two girls and Damian had to give their story of what happened. Initially, Damian was very uncooperative. His last experience with the police was unpleasant, considering that had to ask him about his mother’s murder and his grandfather’s abusive behavior. Once Nyssa was able to sit in the room, Damian was far easier to work with. Once their statements were given, they were left to sit in the station at Sara’s Dad’s desk.

The police officers were surprisingly nice, something Nyssa, and Damian, we're not used to. Everyone seemed to know Sara and she talked with just about anyone. Overall it was a strange experience.

“You’re quiet,” Sara commented to Nyssa. “What's on your mind?”

“Just taking in the environment.” Nyssa responded. Damian was curled up to her side, looking visually nervous. “The last time I was in a police station, it was not pleasant.”

“Right,” Sara mumbled. “Anything I can do?”

“No,” Nyssa replied. Her eyes flitting from place to place, never staying somewhere too long. Despite her calm demeanor, Sara could feel her heartbeat going a little faster than normal.

Sara moved her hand subtly and grabbed Nyssa’s hand, intertwining their fingers. “Lemme know if you need anything.” Sara finally said, leaning against her.

“A shower if there is one,” Nyssa joked out.

That made the two of them laugh, and it also broke the awkward tension. The group waited for a few more minutes until a female officer came to take their pictures. Nyssa was still wary, but Sara trusted the woman.

The small group was lead to a secluded room, away from prying eyes and peeping toms.

“I'll go first,” Sara said, “those two can chill in here.” She hoped it would make them less nervous.

The officer made sure everything went over as quickly and painlessly as she could, something Sara was thankful for. She ended up having to remove her shirt do they could catch the bruising for on the other guy’s punch (Nyssa and Damian averted their gazes pretty quickly when her shirt came off). She had received a few other punches that she didn't even realized until she removed her shirt.

“Alright, Sara, I think we’re good. Who’s next?”

“I suppose that is me,” Nyssa said. She did not seem thrilled with the idea, but she also knew she had no choice.

“Want me to stay?” Sara asked after she put her shirt back on. “I can take Damian with me.”

Part of Nyssa really wanted Sara to leave, but the other part desperately wished for her to stay. She was not used to being so conflicted.

“No!” Damian hollered, interrupting Nyssa’s internal conflict. “I'm not leaving Mama.” He declared for everyone to hear.

They all were silent and then Sara slowly slid down the wall until she was in a sitting position. “I guess I’ll wait, then.”

And that's how that happened. Nyssa, like Sara, had to remove her shirt. She was thankful to get out of the still damp shirt, but also dreading the inevitable. Only, it didn't come. Nyssa turned her head to see Sara looking away, much like Nyssa had earlier. The police officer said nothing. Either she had been trained very well to keep her bearing, or she had read Nyssa’s incredibly long record. Nyssa suspected a little of both.

“Alright, we should be good here,” The officer said with a kind smile. “Do we need pictures of Ironman?”

“Nope, he didn't get hit,” Sara said, avoiding looking over at Nyssa.

“We checked him before the police arrived,” Nyssa added once her clothes were covering her body. “Are we free to leave?”

“You’ll have to speak to the detective about that,” the kind officer said. “He mentioned having a ride for you, and clean clothes.”

“I hope there’s dinner,” Sara mumbled, standing up. She pulled Damian into her arms and the group headed back out.

Dinah Lance, Sara’s mother, stood in the station, carrying a duffle bag full of clothing. Next to her was Laurel, Sara’s sister (or so Nyssa assumed). By Laurel stood Oliver Queen, much to Nyssa’s surprise and irritation.

“Hey guys,” Sara said cheerfully.

“Why am I always picking up one of you two from this station?” Laurel asked, looking between Oliver and Sara.

“Hey! This time I was in the right!” Sara declared with a triumphant grin.

“Your stunt ruined dinner, Sara,” Laurel grumbled.

“Well that stunt was a hate crime, against me.” Sara huffed out, crossing her arms.

“Sara, you're a blonde haired, blue eyed, white girl. How could there be a hate crime against you?” The girl scoffed.

“How about the none of your fucking business kind, Laurel.” Sara growled out. “Let's just go home and get changed. I smell like beer, and not even good beer.”

Four sets of eyes locked on Sara very quickly.

“Not that I know what good beer tastes like, or anything. Beer is gross, guys.” She amended very quickly. “Though I wonder if fruit beer that they make in Europe smells this bad.”

“It does,” Nyssa said quickly.

Then all eyes turned to her.

“I received both of my Bachelor's at Cambridge, but I did study in Heidelberg for a year,” she explained as if it was a normal occurrence. “Needless to say, beer was had with most meals.”

“How old were you?” Sara asked her, in awe.

“Probably too young to drink on a daily basis,” Nyssa replied with a shrug. “Though I had a friend that was also my age and we would share a drink.”

“Laurel, let's move to Germany,” Oliver said as a joke. Laurel hit him.

“Well why don't you two change and we can watch the little one for you,” Dinah suggested, passing over the bag.

“No!” Damian hollered at the top of his lungs. He started squirming in Sara’s arms, desperate to get to Nyssa.

“Whoa! D! Calm down! You can come with us buddy!” Sara said quickly, doing her best not to drop him. “We're not gonna take you away from your mom, bud.”

Nyssa ended up grabbing the young boy before he could disrupt the workplace anymore, and ushered him off to the bathroom with Sara following closely. Once inside, Sara shut the door and locked it.

“Sorry about my family,” Sara said as soon as the door was closed. “I'm kind of the black sheep and I don't have the best record. I'm sure I can get them to drop you off at home.”

“I can assure you it is shorter than mine,” Nyssa replied with a playful grin. “Or Damian’s for that matter. And we had a lovely day. This was simply an interesting turn of events. And I believe I was promised dinner.”

“I see how it is. Just using me for free food. I knew we’d turn you into a college student yet,” Sara told her, grinning as well. “But whatever, let's get changed.”

Sara opened the bag and threw a pair of leggings, a Tshirt, and a rather large sweatshirt at Nyssa.

“I'm sorry if any of it is small, these are all clothes I left at my house before I moved into my dorm… Except those leggings, I think they're Laurel’s.” Sara explained, picking out her own clothes.

“It is fine,” Nyssa assured her.

They both stood in the tiny bathroom awkwardly, waiting for the other to start actually changing.

“Do you want me to turn around?” Sara asked her. “You're more soaked than me.” She looked down in the bag and then pulled out a towel. “You need to get dry more than me.”

“I, um, if you do not mind,” Nyssa finally managed out.

“No problem, I don't want to make you uncomfortable,” Sara told her. She passed over the towel and then sat back in a corner and covered her eyes.

A few minutes later, Nyssa was dressed and was drying her hair. “I am decent,” she informed Sara as she rang out her hair.

Sara opened her eyes and her jaw dropped. “Hot damn, Hot Mama!”

Nyssa gave her a shy smile. “I do not typically wear leggings. I feel quite exposed. It is... strange.”

“I suddenly understand the meaning behind Apple Bottom Jeans…” Sara mumbled quietly.

“What was that?” Nyssa asked.

“Nothing! I'm getting changed now.”

After a few minutes, Sara was changed and they walked out of the bathroom. Sara’s family was waiting for them and discussing dinner.

“So what's for dinner?” Sara asked when they walked back over to them.

“Lasagna,” Dinah said quickly. “Oh, Nyssa, do you or Damian have any dietary issues? If you can't have lasagna, I'm sure we can make something up for you.”

“Lasagna is fine. Damian loves pasta if any kind.” Nyssa assured the woman.

“I like macaroni and cheese the best,” Damian said with a smile.

_ “Well lasagna is for dinner,” _ Nyssa told him in Arabic.

_ “Do I get extra dessert tonight if I eat it all?”  _ He asked her in his native tongue.

Nyssa shot Sara a glare. “We shall see.” Nyssa finally answered.

“What did I do?” Sara asked loudly. She didn't seem shocked at the casual switch of languages. Apparently the two spoke in different languages frequently.

“Someone requested extra dessert if he ate his meal,” Nyssa informed her, “he was not like this until you came along.”

She shrugged, “he could be worse. He could try to get the dessert when you're not paying attention.”

“She's always paying attention,” Damian mumbled, causing Sara to laugh. Clearly he has tried before.

At that point, everyone headed to the cars. Laurel and Oliver rode with Dinah while Detective Lance took Sara, Nyssa, and Damian. As they separated Sara heard Oliver.

“Talk about apple bottom leggings,” She heard him say.

Without hesitating, she whirled around and slapped him. “Eyes off, Oliver,” She growled at him.

“Laurel!” Oliver whined. “Control your sister.”

“You deserved that,” Laurel replied. “Given what she's gotten up to, you're lucky that's all she did.”

Sara didn't stick around to hear the rest, she just headed to her dad’s car. Once she slid into the front seat, her dad asked her what the slap was all about.

“Ollie thinking with something other than his brain,” Sara responded.

“Mama, what are apple bottom jeans?” Damian asked from his car seat.

Sara turned bright red and turned her head to avoid her father’s stare. When she turned her head back, she noted her father’s unimpressed face.

“I have no idea,” Nyssa replied.

“Ollie said it,” Sara mumbled.

“Sure he did, Sara.” Her dad replied, “too bad these two were up with me when you slapped Queen.”

Damn, she had been caught. “Don't worry about it, dad.” She finally said.

Her dad rolled her eyes and kept on driving. They arrived back to the Lance household at the same time the others arrived. Laurel, trying to make up for Oliver’s lewd comment toward Nyssa, instantly struck up a conversation with her and Damian. She complimented his Ironman mask and made similar comments about how Damian was far more handsome than Tony Stark. While they headed inside, Quentin held Sara back. When the door closed, he started talking.

“I heard your statements from the other room,” he told her. “All three of you.”

“And?” Sara asked, trying to avoid where the conversation was going.

“You mentioned it was a hate crime against you.” He stated.

“Oh, you heard that did you?” She asked, not meeting his gaze.

“Anything you want to tell me?”

“Not particularly, no.” Sara answered. “I'd really like food though. Dinner sounds great and-”

“Sara,” Her father stared, “I love you. Gay, straight or whatever. I don't care, and I don't think your mom does either.”

“Whatever,” she mumbled, “that's my sexuality now. I am whatever. Whatever floats my boat.”

“Sara.”

“Ok! I’m bisexual. And I am very sexually and romantically attracted to that woman in our house who is wearing my clothes and I would really like to make out with her and throw her on the nearest surface and eat her out until she begs me to stop.” Sara half shouted. “Happy?”

Her father cringed, “I wish you spared me the details. Now I'm going to have nightmares of you two having sex. No sex in the house!”

Sara rolled her eyes, “seriously dad? Do you know half the shit Laurel and Ollie get up to?”

“Yes,” He groaned, “but I would rather be blissfully ignorant! Those two are loud.”

“Then I'll try to be quiet,” Sara told him with a smirk.

He sighed, “well now that's outta the way. Take care of that woman and that boy. Based on their file, they've been through a lot.”

“I will,” Sara promised.

“Alright, c’mere,” he muttered. The man pulled his daughter into a tight hug. “I don't care of you like boys or girls or both. I love you and I only want you to be happy… And get a better significant other than Laurel.”

Sara laughed, “so date Nyssa?”

“If she lets you.” Her father said with a grin. “Ah, yes, and now your mother owes me twenty bucks. Let's go, I'm sure you're hungry and would like a shower.”

“Wait? Why does she owe you twenty bucks?” Sara asked, following her Dad up the pathway to their house.

“I bet her saying that you were interested in the girl. She thinks you only like boys.” Her dad said. He pushed open the door and stepped in. “Dinah, you owe me twenty bucks!” He hollered when he stepped through the door.

“Dad!” Sara whined. She made her way over to Nyssa and started grumbling nonsense.

“Why does your mother owe your father twenty deer?” Damian whispered to Sara loudly.

Nyssa, Sara, and Laurel all heard him and keeled over laughing. Like usual, the poor boy was confused, but patiently waited for his answer. Nyssa recovered first, unsurprisingly, and Laurel was just after her.

“A buck is another word for a dollar,” Sara answered him, still laughing a little. “We need a book of all the funny things this kid asks! Then we can show it to his girlfriend or boyfriend when he get older!”

“Thinking that far down the road, eh?” Laurel asked her sister with a grin.

“She’ll thank me when she has to give and embarrassing speech at his wedding.” Sara declared, crossing her arms. “But anyway, c’mon, Nys, you probably want a shower, follow me.”

“Can I come?” Damian asked shyly.

Nyssa and Sara looked at each other. After a moment, Nyssa shrugged.

“It's not gonna be a bath, buddy,” Sara told him. “So probably not as fun.”

“He will need a bath eventually,” Nyssa mumbled into Sara’s ear, making her blush.

“Should we make him have a bath and then we shower?” Sara asked, trying to control herself.

Nyssa shrugged, indicating that she didn't care.

“Mom, when’s dinner?”

“Maybe half an hour, why?” Her mother called from the kitchen.

“We’re giving Damian a bath,” Sara shouted back.

“Do I have to?” Damian asked her.

“Yes,” both women answered.

Sara picked up Damian and threw him over her shoulder. “Bath time for all of us! Let's go kid.”

“Fine,” the boy grumbled.

Sara led them upstairs to the bathroom she shared with Laurel during her childhood. It was a little cramped with the three of them, but they managed. Once Damian was in the water, they had a surprisingly easy time bathing him. Sara figured it was because they had an exciting day and he was just tired.

“Bath, Mama?” Damian asked once they managed to wash his hair.

“Not this time,” Nyssa replied. “Come let us finish cleaning you so Sara and I might get clean.”

Nyssa’s hair had dried beer in it. Despite their clothes being fresh, the smell of beer permeated the air. And like Sara said before, it wasn't even good beer!

Damian grumbled but let the two finish cleaning him. A few minutes later, the boy was clean and Sara let Nyssa use the shower first. Damian, surprisingly, let Nyssa out of his sight. Nyssa expected more of a fight, but Sara seemed to have everything under control. It was probably because he actually trusted the blonde.

So, for ten minutes, Nyssa had some peace and quiet while she cleaned beer out of her hair. Sara had pointed out all of the shampoo and conditioner that Nyssa could borrow, as well as soap.

Nyssa was in the middle of drying off when Sara opened the door. “Hey, I brought clean clothes. Well cleaner, I guess. They're mostly mine. I think the leggings also belong to Laurel.”  When the blonde looked up, her jaw dropped, her face flushed and the clothes fell on the floor.

“Are you feeling well, Sara?” Nyssa asked, covering herself as best she could with the towel. Unfortunately, she barely had enough to cover her chest and backside, so Sara received nice view of Nyssa’s cleavage.

“Uh wha? Yeah! I'm good! I'm good! Here's some clothes! See you when you get downstairs! Bye!” She managed out awkwardly before racing out of the bathroom.

Nyssa took the clothes and proceeded to get dressed. She wasn't quite sure the protocol on wearing someone else's underwear, but given that her only other pair were stained by beer, she decided to take what was clean. She had some issues fitting into the sports bra given to her, but not much. The shirt was also a little tight. In reality, everything was tight and Nyssa was uncomfortable. But everything was also clean, so there was that.

Nyssa took the large sweatshirt and headed downstairs to let Sara shower. Down there she found Damian happily talking away with Laurel and, surprisingly, Oliver. Obviously the young man had gotten over his attitude that morning.

“You clean, Mama?” Damian asked when he saw her.

“Yes,” She replied with a smile. “Where is Sara?”

“Shower,” Laurel said, scooting over on the couch so Nyssa could sit down. “She came down and told mom she was borrowing their shower just a few minutes ago.”

“I see.”

“Are those my leggings?” She asked Nyssa.

“I cannot say, Sara just gave them to me… Well, she dropped them on the floor first.” Nyssa told her. “I am not sure who these all belong to.”

“That sweatshirt is Sara’s. It's her comfy sweatshirt.” Laurel said, “you're probably in her shirt too.”

Nyssa shrugged. She reached over to grabbed ahold of Damian and then pulled him into her lap. The events of the day had started catching up with her, and it looked like Damian was tired as well.

The small group sat about and chatted for a bit and then Sara came back downstairs. She was still a little red from earlier, but not very much. She seemed more relaxed after her shower, so Nyssa guessed she was irritated about being covering in beer still.

The group migrated to the table, where Damian decided to sit on Sara’s lap for the meal. Nyssa tried to protest, but Sara waved her off.

“This is excellent lasagna, Dinah, and the wine is quite good,” Nyssa said after her first few bites. “It has been some time since I have had the privilege to enjoy some.”

“Oh you're so kind, Nyssa! But you have to thank Oliver for the wine, he brought it.” Dinah replied with a smile, “when have you last had lasagna?”

She shrugged, “Germany I believe. My friend, Angela, made some. Well, she attempted to make some. In the end, we decided to go out to eat. The Italian food in Germany is superb. And excellent wine choice, Mr. Queen.”

“Oliver is fine,” he said, “but thanks.”

“You've been to Germany?” Laurel asked her.

“She got her bachelors in Cambridge,” Sara said as she cut up pieces for Damian.

“That's in England,” Laurel pointed out.

“I studied at Heidelberg for a year,” Nyssa said quickly. “My roommate was a Swiss girl who was working to earn her doctorate. She was two years older than I, but we were the youngest students… I should call her.”

“So you're pretty well traveled, you could say,” Dinah commented.

“I suppose,” Nyssa said.

“What country do you like best?” Oliver asked her, “I always enjoyed France.”

_ “I adore France,”  _ Nyssa said in French. She switched back to English quickly, “I am quite partial to Germany, and also Switzerland. Though Angela could be to blame for that. But I do enjoy warm weather, so I do not believe I could live in either place.”

The rest of dinner was talking about various countries. Oliver and Nyssa dominated the conversation, but Dinah was able to contribute to some of it. Unfortunately, Quentin, Laurel, and Sara had never really left the States.

“I think I'd like to go to France,” Sara said after a minute, “then I could actually use the language I'm making myself learn.”

_ “You speak French?” _ Nyssa asked her in French.

_ “You know it, Hot Mama!”  _ Sara told her with a grin.

“Speak American, Mama,” Damian told her, “it's rude to speak other languages when people don't know.”

“Ah, of course. You are correct, Damian. I apologize.” Nyssa said with a smile. She looked like she was trying her best not to laugh.

_ “We are never teaching him French,”  _ Sara mumbled.

_ “Agreed,” _ Nyssa mumbled back.

The rest of dinner was a pleasant affair. Damian ended getting extra dessert because of everything that happened that day. Five minutes after eating it, he had fallen asleep on Sara’s lap, snoring. At that point, everyone migrated to the living room. Nyssa, Sara and Damian had occupied one couch, Oliver had a love seat and Laurel sat on his lap, while Quentin and Dinah had the other couch. They all spoke of mundane topics that Nyssa was hardly listening to. Instead she was focused on a small piano off to the side of the house.

“Who plays?” She asked, interrupting the conversation.

Everyone looked over to the piano.

“No one, really,” Sara told her, “it’s a decoration. Belonged to someone in Mom’s family.”

“Play, Mama!” Damian exclaimed through his mouth full of food. “Play the pretty song!”

Not wanting to deny Damian, Nyssa stood up and made her way to the instrument. She admitted she was a little nosy, peeking inside to look at the strings. She tested the keys and listened to the sound. After deciding it was a suitable instrument, she pulled out the bench and quietly drilled her scales and arpeggios.

The conversation dulled as Nyssa started going into one of her favorite pieces, “Comptine D’un Autre Été” by Yann Tiersen. It came from the movie Amélie, a movie that brought Nyssa joy when she was in Europe with Angela.

“That was beautiful,” Dinah told her when Nyssa finished.

“It has been some time since I have played that,” Nyssa admitted. The last time she played that particular piece, her sister had been there. It was Talia’s favorite song. “It was my sister’s favorite.”

“Was?” Oliver asked her, not realizing the situation.

“She was killed,” Nyssa answered, looking down at the keys. “Drive by shooting in Gotham,” she lied.

Laurel glared at her insensitive boyfriend. Even Dinah glared at the boy.

Before the situation could get any more awkward, Sara spoke. “Uh, Laurel, Nyssa studied Harvard!” She told her sister in an attempt to change the topic.

Laurel perked up, “Harvard?”

Nyssa perked up as well, “yes.” She stood up and moved to sit next to Sara again.

“What was your major?” She asked, curiously.

“I earned my MA in Linguistics,” Nyssa answered her.

“Wait, you already have one masters degree?”

“Yes.”

“How old are you?” Oliver asked her, shocked at how quickly she moved through university.

“Nineteen, but I will be turning twenty in May,” Nyssa replied.

“Wait, your birthday is coming up?” Sara asked her, “why was I not informed of this?”

“Wait, she’s Sara’s age and she has a Masters?” Laurel asked.

“You let her have wine?” Oliver asked Quentin, looking at him in shock.

“She’s foreign.” Quentin mumbled, crossing his arms. He had forgotten Nyssa was not legal in America. She had been talking about drinking beer in Germany! So it slipped his mind.

“Yes?” Nyssa replied, confused at their reactions.

“Ignore them.” Sara ordered. “We're you going to tell me this information any time soon?”

“Probably not,” Nyssa admitted, “it is not important.”

“Excuse you? Not important? This is incredibly important! How am I supposed to throw you an epic party for your birthday?”

“Sara, nothing good happens on your twentieth birthday,” Laurel told her.

“Psh, shut up, Laurel. Ollie, were throwing a party at your place for Nyssa’s birthday and we're gonna get her trashed.”

“I do not wish to be covered in garbage,” Nyssa interjected.

“They mean drunk,” Laurel told her quickly.

“How trashed are we talking?” Oliver asked, very interested.

“Yes, please, let's make plans to get an underage kid drunk in front of a cop,” Quentin said loud enough for everyone to hear.

Sara and Oliver looked over to her father and then looked back at each other. “Not blackout drunk, but almost there. You should get foreign alcohol, so Nyssa feels at home.”

“Are they seriously planning this right now?” Quentin mumbled.

“Let them plan,” Nyssa said with a smile. “I will not be in the States.”

“What!” Sara whined, “why?”

“I need an excuse to see Angela.” Nyssa answered, “besides, someone needs to make sure she eats ons semi regular basis.” She pulled out her phone and looked at the time. With one hand she opened her text messages and typed out a message to an Angela Z.

“Wait, are you literally making these plans up right now?” Sara asked, looking over her shoulder.

“Yes. I am sure Angela will not mind” Nyssa answered.  _ I am coming to visit for my birthday with Damian. Prepare accordingly. Now stop working, get a shower, eat dinner, and sleep.  _ Was the text that Nyssa sent.

Sara pouted and glared at Nyssa, but the woman ignored it. Moments later Nyssa received a reply.

_ Oh! So exciting! I can't wait! It's been foreverrrrrrr! _

Nyssa rolled her eyes and messages her back.  _ You performed my physical four months ago. _

The two continued their text conversation for a little bit. Sara was trying to follow along, but Nyssa started texting in German.

“Rude,” Sara mumbled.

“Stop reading my text messages,” Nyssa replied.  _ GO TO BED, ANGELA! _

_ Oh fine. Bossy. Meanie. Night night! <3 _

Nyssa rolled her eyes and put her phone away. “See, I will be in Switzerland.”

“That was quick planning,” Quentin mumbled. “Wait, if she's in Switzerland. Why is she awake?”

“Angela never sleeps. Neither of us did in school.” Nyssa answered. Moments later she let out a small yawn. “Speaking of sleep, I should be leaving for home. I apologize for inconveniencing you all today.”

“Why don't you two stay the night? One of us can drop you off at your place tomorrow,” Dinah suggested.

“I do not wish to impose,” Nyssa said, already scooping Damian into her arms. The boy was dead to the world. “Truly, I can call a cab.”

“It's late and you have your hands full. It's dangerous alone for a young woman to be alone in the city with their child.” Dinah insisted, “you can sleep with Sara.”

“Say what now?” Sara asked.

From off to the side, her dad stood up and had to walk out of the room so no one caught on to his laughing. Sara was truly his daughter.

“Nyssa and Damian are sleeping in your room tonight,” Dinah told her.

“Uh, that may not be a good idea,” Sara started off. “If Nyssa feels she should go home, we should let her.”

“It's dangerous, Sara!” Her mother insisted.

“Then how about I go with them?” She said trying to reach a compromise. “I'll go make sure nothing happens and just crash on a couch. That is, if it's alright with you, Nyssa."

“I can accept this,” Nyssa told the group. “It would be best for Damian to be in his own bed.”

Dinah didn't seem too pleased, but after Oliver offered to drive them to Nyssa’s apartment, she seemed more open to it. So, Sara ran to get her bag of clothes she brought from school so that the group could leave.

“Oh, Sara,” Her father called as they were about to leave, “come here real quick.”

“Yeah?” Sara asked, walking over to her parents.

“I'd wait until after she puts the kid down before you find the nearest surface,” he told her with a grin.

“What?”

Quentin's grin widened, making Sara remember the particularly descriptive comment Sara made about wanting to throw Nyssa on the nearest surface.

“O-oh.”

“I'd be quiet, just in case.”

“Dad!” Sara hisses, flushing at the thoughts popping up in her head. “I don't even know if she’s interested!”

“She's interested,” Dinah told Sara from behind her. She held out a twenty dollar bill and then slapped it into Quentin’s outstretched hand. “She looks at you like you're the moon, sky, stars.”

“I thought that was the ‘I want you in my bed’ look,” Quentin commented, pocketing his cash.

“Oh no, I don't think Nyssa has quite realized that. I don't even thing the poor girl realizes she’s as infatuated with Sara as Sara is with her.” Dinah commented.

“I'm right here you know,” Sara mumbled.

“We know,” her parents said.

“Well I'm going to go. And I will be doing very G rated things since there is a four year old,” Sara told them. “Love you, good night.”

“Night!”

When Sara and the others were out of sight, Quentin spoke. “Twenty bucks Sara makes the first move.”

“You're on.”

* * *

Despite Oliver Queen being a party boy who crashes cars all the time, he was very careful driving Nyssa home. It was probably because Damian was not buckled up and just being held by his aunt. Also Sara was quite intimidating, especially Sara and Laurel together. So, they made it to the building in one piece.

“I knew a guy who had the penthouse here. My dad knew him and he would drag me to the parties when I was a kid because the other guy also had kids,” Oliver commented when he parked.

“How interesting,” Nyssa commented, not actually caring. “Thank you for the ride, Mr. Queen.”

“Later Ollie. Later Laurel.” Sara said, grabbing her bag and leaving.

The two walked into the building and Nyssa headed to the elevator. She gave a curt nod to the woman behind the desk before entering the elevator. Once inside she pressed the button for Penthouse.

“Talk about ironic,” Sara mumbled, remembering the story.

“You could say that,” Nyssa mumbled. They didn't speak until the doors opened to Nyssa’s home.

The penthouse was sparsely decorated, but a beautiful weapons display and many bookcases stuffed to the brim of old books. there was something about the weapons that made Sara think that those weapons were not just for display. Sara could see a beautiful black recurve bow laying across a leather couch, with arrows and a quiver on a coffee table. The TV was massive but judging by the dust on the remote, it wasn't often used.

“I did not realize I left that out,” Nyssa mumbled, looking at her bow.

“You're an archer?” Sara asked her, taking a sleeping Damian from her arms.

“It relaxes me,” Nyssa replied, heading over to pick it up. She carefully put her bow on the rack with her arrows. “Goodness, I did not realize what a mess I left this.” A few knitted blankets hand been left on the couch, plus a few books, but overall the place was immaculate.

“Geez, you should see my dorm.” Sara mumbled, “wait, you have a piano too?” She noted the black baby grand that was sitting over by the massive windows. Sheet music was scattered over the top and music books were stacked on the floor, but it still looked neat to Sara.

“Of course,” Nyssa replied. “I have one degree in piano performance.” She gestured to the degrees up on the wall.

Two degrees from Cambridge, and one from Harvard, had the name Nyssa A Ducard. Above them was three degrees made out to a Miranda T Ducard. Miranda had one from Oxford, one from Yale, and the last from Harvard. Sara was impressed by the degrees. She didn't realize that Nyssa’s sister had her PhD. It was never mentioned that the woman was a Doctor of Business Management.

“Right…” She should have expected that. “So we should probably put him down…”

“Right,” Nyssa mumbled, “this way.” Her gaze lingered upon her sister’s degrees, but she turned quickly and lead Sara to Damian’s bedroom.

The bedroom was just off the living room and probably as big as Sara’s childhood bedroom. She was a bit jealous of the kid. He had a single bed and a toy chest at the foot of it. Sara could see bookshelves jammed full of children's books and books for teenagers. There was a nice display shelf where a few action figures sat, including the recently fixed Ironman.

“Hey, Ironman…” Sara mumbled.

“Damian rarely plays with him anymore. At least, not in public.” Nyssa told her in a soft voice. She pulled back the sheets for Sara to put Damian down. “After what happened, he refused to let Ironman leave the house. To keep him safe.”

“Why?” Sara asked, putting the boy in his bed. She worked on taking off his shoes and getting him into some pajamas with Nyssa.

“My sister bought those action figures for him. They are all he has left of his mother,” Nyssa explained.

“That's sad,” Sara mumbled, “maybe we should get him a second set of action figures, so he can play with them and leave the other for display so they don't get ruined.”

“Perhaps,” Nyssa mumbled back. She couldn't help but smile every time Sara said we.

Once Damian was tucked in bed, Sara and Nyssa moved down the hall to the master bedroom.

“Damn woman! That bed is huge!” Sara whispered in awe. “You could sleep like five people in it.”

“Sara, it is just a king size bed,” Nyssa told her, heading to her dresser to pull out pajamas. “What do you prefer to sleep in?”

“Huh? Me? Oh I got some pajamas. I'm good,” Sara explained, holding up her small duffle bag. “Should I just use the blankets out there?”

“For?” Nyssa asked, pulling out a long sleeve Harvard shirt and a pair of red plaid pajama pants.

“Sleeping?”

“My bed is plenty large enough, Sara. There is no need to sleep on a couch. Regardless of how comfortable it is,” Nyssa informed her. She may have fallen asleep on it many times during study sessions or just doing homework.

“Oh, okay…” Sara replied.

The two changed in a slightly awkward silence. Sara waited for Nyssa to slide into the bed before following suit.

“Damn, this is comfy,” Sara whispered with a grin. “This calls for more sleepovers later down the line.”

“My home is open to you,” Nyssa responded before letting out a tiny yawn. “Mm, forgive me. I must have had a trying day.”

“You and me both,” Sara mumbled. “Wanna go to the aquarium tomorrow? It's half off for students.”

“Sounds lovely,” Nyssa mumbled, already half asleep.

Sara smiled at her and started to get comfortable, “night.”

“Good night,” Nyssa whispered to her.

Not even a few moments later, Sara could hear soft snores indicating Nyssa fell fast asleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My roommate likes Overwatch and makes me play it with him. I am very bad at it but I'm best at playing Mercy. I'm still a bad player. So yes. Overwatch exists in this universe. They're like the Justice League. And Angela and Nyssa are Bros.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it! I promise I'm.working on my A/B/O fic. I'm just super stumped at this one part and I can't figure out where to go next. I have an entire chapter written for it. The next part is a multi chap fic and once I get over this hump, I'll have the whole piece done. I swear I'm not trying to leave you all hanging.


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